William C. Alexander (1848–1937)
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William Alexander (1848–1937) was an author of over ten works, over sixty-five year employee of
The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States Equitable Holdings, Inc. (formerly The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, and also known as The Equitable) is an American financial services and insurance company that was founded in 1 ...
, and a founder of Pi Kappa Alpha.


Biography

Alexander was born to theologian James Waddel Alexander on September 5, 1848. His paternal grandfather was
Archibald Alexander Archibald Alexander (April 17, 1772 – October 22, 1851) was an American Presbyterian theologian and professor at the Princeton Theological Seminary. He served for 9 years as the President of Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia and for 39 yea ...
, a preacher and theologian, President of
Hampden-Sydney College Hampden Sydney is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,450 at the 2010 census. Hampden Sydney is the home of Hampden–Sydney College, a private all- ...
and founder of
Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a private school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1812 under the auspices of Archibald Alexander, the General Assembly of t ...
. William's mother was a member of the prestigious Cabell family who assisted
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
in the founding of the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
. Although Alexander was born in New York, much of his childhood schooling was at a Virginia school. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
he lived in England with his mother, as his father died in 1859. While attending The
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
he became the youngest of the six founders of Pi Kappa Alpha. Sunday evening March 1, 1868, William Alexander, Frederick Southgate Taylor, Littleton Waller Tazewell (Bradford), James Benjamin Sclater Jr., Julian Edward Wood, and Robertson Howard founded Pi Kappa Alpha at 47 West Range. Despite close contact with his uncle and three fellow fraternity founders all involved in medicine, Alexander sought to pursue the realm of business with Taylor and Tazewell. Shortly after leaving the University of Virginia, Alexander was offered a temporary position with
The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States Equitable Holdings, Inc. (formerly The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, and also known as The Equitable) is an American financial services and insurance company that was founded in 1 ...
, where his uncle, William Cowper Alexander, had served as first president. However the position became good for over sixty-five years once Alexander's drive and business capacity were realized. He gained positions of assistant secretary, and then company secretary. For over fifty years he oversaw the company as supervisor of publications, editor of periodicals, and the advertising in general. He wrote several histories of the company and was honored on many occasions for services rendered. He published over ten books, most of which dealt with life insurance, sales, or both. The youngest and eldest of the original founders, Alexander preserved his interest of Pi Kappa Alpha, including its massive growth and success. He stayed involved with the fraternity, its founding, ritual, history, and current affairs. He published articles in the fraternity quarterly newsletter quite regularly. Alexander married Frances Gordon Paddock in 1887 and they had a daughter. Frances died in 1931. He died at nearly ninety years old in 1937 and is buried in the
Princeton Cemetery Princeton Cemetery is located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the Nassau Presbyterian Church. John F. Hageman in his 1878 history of Princeton, New Jersey refers to the cemetery as "The Westminster Abbey of the United Stat ...
, Princeton, New Jersey.


References

*Hart and Blount. (Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity 1968). ''A History of Pi Kappa Alpha''. Press of Democrat Printing & Litho Company, Little Rock, Ark. * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, William 1848 births 1937 deaths American activists Pi Kappa Alpha founders University of Virginia alumni American business writers Burials at Princeton Cemetery Writers from New York (state)